January 20, 2017
Visitors
Today I went out to check on the Flathead River again to see what the ice was doing and this time drove up river another 5 – 6 miles. There were several sections of open water followed by other areas where it has ice bank-to-bank and it took the photo above of one of the open areas. On the way back I noticed some visitors on the ice shelf on the other side, some Tundra Swans which are fairly common here but always a delight to see.
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Montana Outdoors 
This is a stunningly landscape. Such an inspiration to watch! The swans looked satisfied too 🙂
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Comment by Hanna — January 20, 2017 @ 5:24 pm
The swans seem to like it there. I think they winter here, down from their breeding grounds far to the north. They are very pretty guests.
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Comment by montucky — January 20, 2017 @ 7:27 pm
Lovely landscape and nice to see an image of the swans too.
I assume the swans find enough to eat in the winter in open stretches of water? Pond weed?
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Comment by Vicki — January 20, 2017 @ 5:28 pm
They will feed both on land and on the water, having a wide variety of diet. There are lots of water fowl that seem to do well here in winter.
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Comment by montucky — January 20, 2017 @ 7:31 pm
Given their name, I suspect the tundra swans are perfectly happy on that ice. They are beautiful, as is their landscape. It’s a little detail, but I really like the way the color in their heads and necks echoes the color of the grasses.
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Comment by shoreacres — January 20, 2017 @ 6:53 pm
They are really cold weather birds that often winter down here. Their breeding grounds are in the far north. I am intrigued by a bird that chooses to migrate here for the winter. Amazing and beautiful creatures! Meriwether Lewis called them “whistling swans” because you can hear a whistle when they fly.
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Comment by montucky — January 20, 2017 @ 7:41 pm
Tundra Swans — wonderful to behold. Thanks for sharing. Hope to do a 6-mile hike next week along/above Puget Sound at Ebey’s Landing National Historic Site. Will send you photos.
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Comment by Chad — January 20, 2017 @ 7:29 pm
I envy your hiking places at the moment. Hiking is difficult here presently and I haven’t gotten around to going out with the snowshoes yet. I’ll look forward to your pictures!
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Comment by montucky — January 20, 2017 @ 7:43 pm
The scenery is just mind-blowingly beautiful!
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Comment by de Wets Wild — January 20, 2017 @ 9:00 pm
I agree!
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Comment by montucky — January 21, 2017 @ 10:18 am
I can almost smell, hear…and feel being there. Beautiful photos….
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Comment by seekraz — January 22, 2017 @ 8:26 am
There is a crispness and clarity on cold winter days that can be strikingly beautiful. I am always in awe of it.
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Comment by montucky — January 22, 2017 @ 10:46 am
Very pretty! I need Tundra Swans for my bird list. There’s actually one (at least) in town for the winter that keeps showing up on the rare bird alert but it’s in an area pretty far out that I don’t quite understand how to find so I haven’t attempted it yet. It’s odd that some winter in Montana and some in AZ, that’s a big difference in climate.
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Comment by Candace — January 23, 2017 @ 1:19 pm
I didn’t realize that they ever went that far south. They nest and breed in the far north.
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Comment by montucky — January 23, 2017 @ 2:04 pm
It must have taken a wrong turn. Hope he can find his way home.
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Comment by Candace — January 25, 2017 @ 12:14 am
Cool photos. I have never seen Tundra swans. Thank You showing them.
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Comment by Sartenada — February 1, 2017 @ 2:41 am
They are very pretty and fortunately also very plentiful. they survive well in cold climates.
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Comment by montucky — February 1, 2017 @ 11:56 am
Je ne suis pas natif de la Gaspésie mais j’ai passer mes vacances durant plus de 20 ans dans l’une des plus anciennes du village, Soit celle de Mr et Mme Anglehart, juste en face de la famille Huard, je garde tellement un bon souvenir de l’acceuil et et du plaisir que j’ai eu avec ses personnes que j’aimais beaucoup. Et quoi dire des gens du village toujours aussi chaleureux et acceuillant pour les visiteurs on se sens chez soi chez eux.
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Comment by qhwfdttv@gmail.com — February 13, 2017 @ 7:51 am